CN: Transphobia, racism, misogyny, sexualized violence and ableism are addressed on a structural level. There are no explicit depictions.
Hey, we are Catcalls of Lpz.
We chalk up cases of catcalling or sexual harassment sent to us at the scene of the incident and report about it on social media. Today we’re giving a speech, because when we look at the current political situation, it makes us deeply angry! We want to share our anger with you today and look together at a selection of topics that are currently on our minds. But we also want to draw hope and strength together with you…
At the beginning of this year, a new bill legalizing abortion was supposed to be voted on, but the CDU/CSU and FDP have deliberately slowed down this process and are thus playing with the lives of people who have become pregnant unintentionally! What the fuck??!!
When it comes to self-determination and pregnancy, the following question must also be asked: Who is allowed to get pregnant in the first place? Flinta* with disabilities, for example, are often advised to have a hysterectomy without being asked – in comparison to non-disabled FLINTA* – or they are prescribed and administered contraceptives via legal care – without the person actually affected being sufficiently informed. Flinta* with disabilities/chronically ill Flinta* also experience a double burden in other areas due to the multiple discrimination they are exposed to. For example, they experience sexualized violence more frequently and at the same time usually have fewer access to help. What the fuck is this?
We are horrified to see how the freedom of speech and self-determination of migrants is being increasingly attacked. We have been following the increasing police violence at demonstrations for a free Palestine with horror for months. The police have even gone so far as to ban all languages other than German and English at demonstrations. Assemblies have been violently broken up because people have spoken in Arabic and Hebrew. How can it be possible that in this country people are once again forbidden to speak in their mother tongue, to be loud and to fight? Emis Gürbüz, the mother of Sedat Gürbüz, expressed her anger at the German state during the commemoration of the attack in Hanau in which her son was murdered. The CDU reacted with outrage and the accusation that she had instrumentalized the commemoration of her murdered son for political purposes. It is becoming increasingly clear that migrants are nothing more than objects for this state: political weapons used in election campaigns and whose fate and existence is a secondary consideration. The fact that many of them are not even allowed to vote in our so-called democracy takes the whole thing to the extreme. What the fuck??!!
The self-determination of ITAN* people is also soon to be more restricted again. The SBG has been a long time coming and when it finally came into force last year, it was rather disappointing with many discriminatory clauses, especially against trans*feminine people. A sauna for cis women only isn’t a safe space, it’s a gender hell, why don’t you stick your domestic authority up your lame asses, lol! And yet the SBG is worlds better than its predecessor – the TSG from 1980. Many of us have waited a long time to finally be able to change our name and gender entry – without a court case, several thousand euros in legal costs and extremely incapacitating expert opinions. The SBG remains a long-fought- for change that will make life easier for many. But the CDU has already announced that it wants to take this right away from us again. And not just here in Germany, trans*-hostility is on the rise worldwide. Trump is going all out by abolishing gender-neutral gender entries again, banning future changes to gender entries and even introducing entry bans for people whose stated gender „does not match their appearance“ What the fuck?!
All of this makes us incredibly angry, sad and drains us. In moments like these, when these shit systems manage to isolate us, dehumanize us and incapacitate us until we feel completely helpless, we must not forget something important: Just as long as there has been oppression and systemic violence, there has been resistance! Sometimes resistance is very loud and in your face when we organize demonstrations, occupy houses and forests, make protest camps. But sometimes resistance is also quiet and inconspicuous. For example, when we accompany friends during their transition, talk to them on the phone on the way home, take on care work for each other or set up families of choice. Resistance means creating space for exchange and compassion. Resistance means being there for each other. Because as Adrienne Maree Brown said: „When we begin to see ourselves as a training ground for change, we can change the world.“ We are all gathered here today because our hearts are crying out for change. Take a moment, feel how the sun on our skin also reignites the resistance within us.
Look around you. Do you see those who unfortunately cannot be here with us? Hold them in your thoughts. And do you see who is running alongside you and with you? Even if we are seeing each other for the first time today, we are not strangers. If you dare, approach each other and become active together, in whatever form it takes.
We are grateful for all of you who have made it your life’s work to stand up for yourselves and others and want to encourage you to keep fighting! To keep fighting, like the Zapatistas, „for a world in which many worlds fit!“ And now we take back the streets – Whose streets? Our streets!